Nixon’s Racist Ambivalence

From the ancient history files, newly released tapes of Richard Nixon reveal his stance on abortion. When the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, Nixon was silent. Privately, however, he expressed concern that abortion would create permissiveness.

He also had this little gem:

“There are times when an abortion is necessary. I know that. When you have a black and a white,” he told an aide, before adding, “Or a rape.”

Now, I’ve never liked Nixon. I was too young to really remember his Presidency, but from reading about it I can say that I sure wouldn’t have voted for the guy (not that I would have gone for Humphrey or McGovern, mind you). The Left will take this as an example of the evil Richard Nixon being racist and I completely agree that his comment on the propriety of aborting children born of mixed relationships is revolting on several levels, racism being only one of them.

But riddle me this: how many of those on the Left who will seize this opportunity to brand Nixon as a hateful racist will acknowledge that his views are considerably more moderate than the views of Hillary Clinton’s hero, Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger? How many will admit that the flagship organization of the pro-choice movement was built on the philosophies of a Klan-loving eugenicist that was admired by Hitler?